Raza nominated for Top ICC award

ZIMBABWE’S T20I captain, Sikandar Raza, has landed his third consecutive nomination for the prestigious International Cricket Council (ICC) T20I Player of the Year award.

Raza has won the hearts of cricket fans for his outstanding performances in the shortest format of the game.
His competition includes other cricketers such as Pakistan’s Babar Azam, India’s Arshdeep Singh, and Australia’s Travis Head.

The 39-year-old all-rounder continued to shine for Zimbabwe this year, helping his team remain unbeaten in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier Group B.

In this tournament, Raza scored 199 runs and took 10 wickets. Under his leadership last year, the Chevrons also defeated famous teams such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

In his 24 T20Is this year, Raza averaged 28.56, scoring an impressive 573 runs, along with a high score of 133 not out. He also claimed 24 wickets, averaging 22,25 with the best figures of 5/18.

Raza’s outstanding performances earned him his maiden T20I hundred and five-wicket haul during the Sub-Regional Qualifier.
However, his best moment came during Zimbabwe’s match against World Champions India.

Raza’s watchful 17 runs helped Zimbabwe reach 115/9 on a tricky pitch, but it was his bowling performance that turned the tide.
Raza broke through Indian stand-in captain Shubman Gill’s defence in the 11th over, leaving India reeling at 47/6.

He then dismissed Ravi Bishnoi (9) and Mukesh Kumar (0) in quick succession, finishing with 3/25. Zimbabwe clinched a thrilling 13-run victory, and Raza was hailed as the man of the match.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has congratulated former Chevrons international Andy Pycroft for officiating his 100th men’s Test match as a match referee.

Pycroft is a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees. The 68-year-old former Zimbabwe international achieved the incredible feat during the fourth Test between Australia and India, which began on Boxing Day at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Since beginning his cricket refereeing career in 2009, Pycroft has officiated in 238 men’s one-day internationals (ODIs), 174 men’s T20Is, and 21 women’s T20Is.